Mobility vs France 21/03/2011
 Being mobile is one of the newest trends on the work area. The decree for this new generation of workers is simple: sit down wherever you please with your mobile workspace (e.g. laptop) and just work. The members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) are asked a lot of mobility as well, however in another sense.
TEXT: Laura Kox IMAGE: European Parliament 1 Comment  It is a busy time for those who live life international style, as the Middle-East proves that all people need but a big enough spark to be ready to risk their lives for freedom and democracy. Exciting yes, inspiring yes, allowing us to forget the state our own countries are in...partially. For indeed France can be shown today to do things no country has done before: to put on trial a former president without needing exterior pressure to get it done. A spark of hope for those who wish, as it was with the arrest of Pinochet, the ideal of the rights of all peoples to prevail in international law. Yet sadly, as always, life's not that bright once you pass from the golden to the wooden door in the house.
TEXT: Christiaan Wöhle PHOTO: Manu le Manu  Milan, London, Los Angeles, and… Grozny. Ruud Gullit’s recent announcement that he took the job of manager at FC Terek in Grozny, capital of Chechnya, has taken many by surprise. Once named the best footballer in the world, Gullit has had a most glamorous career… up till now. In spite of the usual talk of 'having faith in Chechen football' and 'seeing great opportunities', the real reason for his decision to start working in Chechnya can clearly only be one: money.
TEXT: GOOS HOFSTEE PHOTO: NIKA  The current revolt in Egypt has once again brought human rights issues to our attention. Leading us to ask: is it tolerable to sustain an undemocratic regime when its people are suffering? However, with the revolt and unrest another issue came to the fore, namely that of press freedom. Dutch media, from news papers to daily debate and discussion programmes, broadly covered the news reporters’ deteriorating freedom.
TEXT: Laura Kox  Photo: Sgt. Sarah Brown (US Air Force) Watching the public debate on the mission to Afghanistan of the 27th of January, I somewhat chuckled at how the lovely coffee lady drew the attention of man(y) to her nicely formed posterior. One could further witness Cohen contradicting himself in the same sentence, Wilders making his show of fact without sound argumentation, Sap in trouble for her incoherences, Pechtold attacking amongst others the SP for some kind of moral fault that even he seemed to be confused about, Roemer constantly dismissing the ideas of others as simply naïve, Staaij's simplistic moralising story, Rutte's careful allusions and irony to criticize some incoherences of his opponents, the outrageously childish and counterproductive hammering on the propos of Wilders, the constant repetition of some arguments as well as the complete ignorance of others, and many more. Amusing to be sure.
TEXT: Christiaan Wöhle Palestine Papers: demystifying history 31/01/2011
 For anyone who has followed the Israeli-Palestinian diplomatic process over the last two decades, the leaked Palestine Papers of last week do not contain any earthshattering revelations. However, this overview of the diplomatic twists and turns in the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations does make one thing very clear. The failure of the diplomatic process over the past years is not due to unbridgeable gaps between the two sides, but to the obvious unwillingness of one side to bridge those gaps.
TEXT: Goos Hofstee IMAGE: Clio The Beijing Consensus: tipping the balance? 22/11/2010
 When you bypass a fiery Dragon to shake hands with the Elephant, should the dragon breathe fire or puff out smoke? President Barrack Obama's recent trip to Asia received the unusual amount of publicity that goes hand in hand with his job and stature. What a number of political commentators were quick to point out was the trajectory of his trip. Mr Obama's itinerary included India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan. Although the last two were statutory given that they were to host an international conference each, did Mr Obama intentionally ignore China for its erstwhile neighbour?
TEXT: RISHI RAITHATHA Freedom of speech: is silence golden? 07/11/2010
 Earlier this week, Alan Shadrake, a British author who wrote a book critical of Singapore’s judicial system was found guilty of “criminal defamation”. This week’s copy of The Economist covered the story to draw attention to Singapore’s uncomfortable view of the idea of freedom of speech. The article itself emphasised that Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister, had successfully sued a number of organisations for ‘disparaging remarks’ made against or about the tiny, yet horribly rich, city-state.
TEXT: RISHI RAITHATHA Liberals adrift 01/11/2010
 ‘I am very happy to see the Dutch government to be led by the VVD leader but I am also apprehensive because his government is dependent on the good will of the radical right wing party of Geert Wilders. It isn’t a choice I would have made (...) In any case, all eyes will be on Dutch politics from now on. Mark Rutte knows this well and I trust that he won’t stray from liberal principles.’ These ‘congratulations’ from Annemie Neyts, president of the European Liberal Democrats, at their last congress in Helsinki, must have felt more chilling to the VVD delegation than a dive into ice cold water after the obligatory sauna visit when in Finland.
TEXT: M.C. A few months ago in the Universiteitskrant, an article in the English section covered the possible merits and pitfalls of publishing photos of one’s travel and holiday experiences online (Facebook, flickr, etc). In the article, one of the commentators brought forth the notion that sharing pictures was something that should be eschewed; that photographs were personal items that should be reserved to evoke memories and nostalgia. Photos, he pointed out, should not be used to ‘gloat’. Suffice to say that I disagree somewhat with this opinion. The very thought of having to flick through photos of friends in their most inebriated and vulnerable states does become banal – in that regard, I agree with the commentator. The idea of humiliating oneself via inappropriate images can only spell doom for the future. And yet we all do it.
TEXT: RISHI RAITHATHA |
| Checks & Balances |
RSS Feed